2/12
Palindrome Workshop

During the workshop, letter-palindromes were discussed and we wrote palindromes by word (the sequence of words is the same forwards and backwards) and by line (the lines are the same forwards and backwards). Participants drafted the following palindromic texts:

Mike Maguire

In the clearing
day, seeking the well
groomed man who spent his
day with a poorly
groomed man who spent his
day seeking the well
in the clearing.

William Gillespie

So criminal a police to police a criminal so.

You could cage a bear, couldn't you, but you couldn't bear a cage, could you?

the executioner injected with cyanide the retarded man who had unwittingly killed his boss
in an unconscionable act of violence
the president declared war, invaded the country, and deposed its dictator
because he had weapons of mass destruction and was willing to use them
the military interrogated prisoners
accused of breaking international law
with their full military might
the soldiers destroyed the city suspected of harboring insurgents who had committed a car bombing
in an appalling act of violence
in an appalling act of violence
the soldiers destroyed the city suspected of harboring insurgents who had committed a car bombing
with their full military might
accused of breaking international law
the military interrogated prisoners
because he had weapons of mass destruction and was willing to use them
the president declared war, invaded the country, and deposed its dictator
in an unconscionable act of violence
the executioner injected with cyanide the retarded man who had unwittingly killed his boss

Jill Budd

You can bed a crush, can't you, but you can't crush a bed, can you?

he raises the knife
the cake is cut
smeared across her face
the proffered bite
grinning, laughing
he lifts another glass of wine
thinking of their life together
her eyes well with tears
dreams of domestic bliss
she's baking dessert
she's cooking dinner
he comes home
later and later
later and later
he comes home
she's cooking dinner
she's baking dessert
her eyes well with tears
thinking of their life together
he lifts another glass of wine
grinning, laughing
the proffered bite
smeared across her face
the cake is cut
he raises the knife

starting the poem
as when I was
not nearly so certain
I hesitated
then it was time to conclude
I hesitated
not nearly so certain
as when I was
starting the poem

Scott Rettberg

Feed the fire. More fuel.
Call each other by names.
We wish we could forget
the hours we spend together.
Cinders burned easily. Easily burned cinders,
the hours we spend together.
We wish. We could forget?
Call each other? By names,
feed the fire more fuel.

Jen Snead

[For Christo] You can draw a drape, can't you, but you can't drape a draw, can you?

You can find a bargain, can't you, but you can't bargain a find, can you?

Now there is an empty chair at the table,
she brews a pot of coffee, and leaves
the door open for the neighbors.
We came by as women do, to sit in the afternoon,
who smoke cigarettes, one after the other,
speaking of no-account men.
Speaking of no-account men,
who smoke cigarettes, one after the other —
we came by as women do, to sit in the afternoon.
The door open for the neighbors,
she brews a pot of coffee, and leaves.
Now there is an empty chair at the table.